The present invention relates to decorative lighting for displays such as Christmas trees and the like.
Array lighting systems are known in the prior art, being disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,096,943 to Forrer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,845 to Bednarz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,976 to DuMong, U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,519 to Dorfman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,925 to Jenke et al. Specifically disclosed are a pliable conical frame having light sockets at frame intersections (Forrer), a array of LEDs at intersections of concentric and spiral conductors (Bednarz), a conical cloak-like assembly including strings of lights (DuMong), a net having lamp receptacles at intersections of a pair of conductors (Dorfman), and a combination of conductors and netting having low-profile illuminators through which pairs of the conductors extend (Jenke et al.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,845 to Bednarz and U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,709 to Eddings disclose flash circuits, sound and/or music elements to which illuminators can be responsive. The lights of the prior art have a number of disadvantages, including one or more of the following:
1. They are awkward to use in that they are restricted to relatively rigid patterns;
2. They are difficult to position on a Christmas tree in that projecting lamps get caught on foliage of the tree;
3. They are subject to damage when the lamps get caught in the foliage;
4. They are expensive to provide in that low profile lamps used therein are excessively complex;
5. They are expensive to provide in that they require elaborate computer drive circuitry; and
6. They are visually unattractive in that major portions of the array are bulky to view.
Thus there is a need for an array light system that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.